Do You think DISNEY has gone down hlll the last few years?

[Planogirl]

I see a constant point running throughout this thread and it is cutbacks on staffing. Items needing paint and other maintenance, food tasting more automated, CM's not being as friendly as before and so on indicate Disney trying to do too much with too little IMO.

It's still a fun place to go to though. I just wonder how dumbed down the product can become before the general public starts to notice enough to stay away though...

 

[sam_justice]

After reading this thread and being on the forum (albeit for a short time) it would be apparent to me that this is single handedly the largest Disney World online community around.
Maybe it's worth some people taking photos of the areas that are in need of repair and renovation, gathering together the general opinion and doing some kind of small website with a petition?
We all love Disney World and don't want to see it fall into a state of disrepair, and if we did this I'm sure they wouldn't like the photos and petition floating around for easy reading so I'm sure they would at least listen.

 

[GadgetRick]

I think disney is starting to see the results of alot of issues coming around.If they lost 8% of their attendance last quarter.I also think it is unusual to see discounts for the whole year at disney too.We have always traveled there on a discount and would never get one a year in advance.Things seem to be pointing to they are hurting for customers.The 1500 layoffs should even drive that point home further.The disney corp may be making money but the parks not so much.

The problem is, Disney (lately) has been looking at everything as a money issue, which is a big part of the problem (imo). More discounts aren't the answer to what's happening. Sure, it will bring more people in the parks and help get that 8% back but they're still not fixing part of the problem--lack of quality. The bigger part of the problem, however, is the economy. Not even Disney can fix that.

 

[GadgetRick]

I would also bet, though, that very few of the people who complain and vent here actually take the time to write or e-mail Disney directly. They go on vacation, have a less magical time than they anticipate, and then come here to complain. But really ... most Disney research or "Guest Comments" folks are not going to read 55 pages of back-and-forth between pretty much only a dozen posters and take that to represent the millions of people who visit WDW each year. They're not going to sift through all the snarky personal stuff and complaints about how someone writes or discussions about how to put someone on "ignore" and all the rest of the chaff so that they can get to the thing that is making people upset. Not to mention ... it can be hard to take someone seriously when they complain about how much Disney is "slipping" but then show "Our Next Trip to the World!" tickers in their signatures. Disney might skim the message boards to look for trends, but they're not taking them nearly as seriously as they do those letters and e-mails that show up in the mailboxes.

Because while people may be unhappy, if they don't take the time and effort to explain it to Disney, how important can it be? If you're unhappy with Disney, tell Disney.

First, I totally agree with you (and I do complain about things like this to Disney and other companies). However, I think you'd be surprised at what Disney (and other companies) do for research these days. There are (most certainly) Disney marketing people who frequent this site--and others--to take the pulse of what's happening. They just aren't acting on what they're seeing.

 

[GadgetRick]

I just don't understand when some people complain about certain things, what do you expect Disney to do? Give you something for free because you didn't like their food? That is ridiculous. I have gone to restaurants and didn't like their food. Should I complalin?

Absolutely not! I'm not asking for anything for free or making a stink with someone. As I've said, I just want a quality product which is what I've come to expect in 20ish years of going down there.

 

[GadgetRick]

It seems to me that all the people who have this "understanding of business" DON'T understand what it is like to work the "front lines" every day. I am a former CM and I know what it is like to try to exude pixie dust while working barely above minimum wage. I hate to see so many people "at the top" expect people on the front lines to do so much with so little. I know I don't understand business very well, I guess, but I do understand how it feels for the CMs to lose their jobs or see so many friends let go or working on a "skeleton" crew.

And this, my friends, is part of the problem. Heard it before they just don't pay their people terribly well. This worked out in the past but, obviously, isn't working out too well now. People need to be able to earn enough to make a living or they just aren't gonna be happy in their jobs. If they're not happy in their jobs, how can they give the best product possible?

I feel for those on the front lines not making what they deserve while they see Disney spending money on all of these other projects...

 

[kbelle8995]

It seems to me that all the people who have this "understanding of business" DON'T understand what it is like to work the "front lines" every day. I am a former CM and I know what it is like to try to exude pixie dust while working barely above minimum wage. I hate to see so many people "at the top" expect people on the front lines to do so much with so little. I know I don't understand business very well, I guess, but I do understand how it feels for the CMs to lose their jobs or see so many friends let go or working on a "skeleton" crew.

And people don't understand that even if you work at Disney it is work. It's a hard day.

There are moments when it is absolutely fun but there are a lot of moments when it is work.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

And people don't understand that even if you work at Disney it is work. It's a hard day.

There are moments when it is absolutely fun but there are a lot of moments when it is work.

That is the way with all jobs. I worked in sales while in school, and we were expected to be pleasant, cheery, etc. Disney isn't the only place that expects pleasant workers for minimum wage.

I don't think you can blame a low pay scale for the problems. Working the frontlines is not skilled labor, and isn't a profession. It is the classic minimum wage job. I worked a Cedar Point as a teen, and it was the same way. Work for nothing and pay for lodging.

When you commit to a job you commit to the requirements. You accept the payscale, and you do the job with the attitude expected.

 

[Tiger926]

I could not read through every post because many seemed to be saying the same thing.

I have been in the travel business for 17 years and Disney has been my speciality. However, many brought up some good points about the VALUE that Disney offers year after year and now FREE DINING throughout next year on select dates! Talk about a great value.

EVERYONE is hurting right now and Disney is no different. I remember when they had those lay offs and many friends were let go even in the executive level. Business is Business.

I think people expect things for nothing now as well and when its not done immediatly they get upset and start to blame people.

If you want a preferred room pay for it, don't just expect to get upgraded.

Their rates have gone up EVERY SINGLE YEAR, since I started booking them 16 years ago, so when people get upset that the rates went up come on, it happens.

However, how great is it that they DO NOT charge for Magical Express!! They don't charge for Fast Pass or even Early/Late Extra Hours.

Those are huge benefits that I can see that they are still offering without a fee.

I eat at pretty much the same places every time I go down and have never noticed bad food or service.

If anything I have always been met with excellent service and always notice when its being done to someone else. However, I also notice when people start ranting and raving thinking that will get them further than asking nicely.

I have no patience or time for people like that, just like in my business. I know what they want, they just think I'll get upgraded, guess what no you won't.

You get what you pay for. I also look at their Value Resorts and Pop Century which I do stay at most times I travel there, has been up to par from day one, great service and the rooms are always spotless.

I just don't understand when some people complain about certain things, what do you expect Disney to do? Give you something for free because you didn't like their food? That is ridiculous. I have gone to restaurants and didn't like their food. Should I complalin?

I just think that Disney does a great job and sometimes they do miss, but not often otherwise they would not have as many of us going back year after year after year after year.

An interesting post, that is full of negativity, IMHO.

Not everyone wants something for free, not everyone wants upgrades, and certainly those of us who are loyal and repeat visitors are not 'complaining' for the sake of complaining. That is an insulting attitude, as far as I'm concerned...The common sentiment on this board is lack of staff, and serious cutbacks in some areas, and this translates to daily and consistent problems in common areas like: restaurants, resorts and cleanliness. I don't know you, and you don't know me, but I can assure you that we are an extremely low maintenance family who asks for nothing but a good quality product. Many days we get this, but more and more as of late, that is not the case...

Each and everytime I have contacted Disney, for both good praise, and concerns, I have received a response, and most times, I have been contacted by very high up Disney execs. They can see my past vacations (both before DVC, and as DVC), and I'm sure it helps that I'm an English teacher, who knows how to write. I will say that Disney knows there are issues, and that is why they have contacted me - I've had some very good conversations with executives who have admitted breakdowns in certain areas, and improvements that are needed in other areas. I can assure you it's not 'complaining' - it's being crital and assessing the product that I love in the hopes that when there is a breakdown, that breakdown doesn't happen again, and when there is something good, I want them to know just how much, I as a guest, appreciated their efforts and attention to detail.

I've spent $40,000 on DVC, not to mention dues, and food, tix, etc. for a lifetime of Disney vacations; therefore, I want to see Disney not slash and burn, increase prices, or just give food away. That is going to hurt the product that I love.

As a Disney specialist, you get commission for booking Disney trips, right? So, perhaps your glasses are a bit rose-coloured. None of us here get paid, and in fact, as repeat guests, we've spent a lot of money at Disney - eaten everywhere, and pretty much stayed everywhere too, so we have lots of comparisons to make, as guests, not as a way to earn our livings.

Disney on the whole, gives good value, IMHO, but they are teetering on a tiny slope of they don't realize that making huge profits, while slashing staff, and cheapening food is the way to keep loyal customers.

If they only want new customers, well then, they can function that way, but the Disney of old (thought about this last night), used to be about word of mouth and respecting repeat guests, as they are going to bring in new guests - kill two birds with one stone!

One more thing - I find your line of "You get what you pay for," to be very interesting. So, how exactly should an $8.00 turkey leg or hot dog taste? How about a shirt that cost $35.00, but holds up like it cost .50? I can`stand this line either, as it`s not that simple. Many of us pay for stuff at Disney that is way overpriced - in the real world, an $8.00 hot dog is vastly different than at Disney. Probably would come with a butler to feed it to you...

Not sure what to make of your post, as I'm very crabby this morning, so that's all I'm going to say about it!

Tiger

 

[GadgetRick]

An interesting post, that is full of negativity, IMHO.

Not everyone wants something for free, not everyone wants upgrades, and certainly those of us who are loyal and repeat visitors are not 'complaining' for the sake of complaining. That is an insulting attitude, as far as I'm concerned...The common sentiment on this board is lack of staff, and serious cutbacks in some areas, and this translates to daily and consistent problems in common areas like: restaurants, resorts and cleanliness. I don't know you, and you don't know me, but I can assure you that we are an extremely low maintenance family who asks for nothing but a good quality product. Many days we get this, but more and more as of late, that is not the case...

Each and everytime I have contacted Disney, for both good praise, and concerns, I have received a response, and most times, I have been contacted by very high up Disney execs. They can see my past vacations (both before DVC, and as DVC), and I'm sure it helps that I'm an English teacher, who knows how to write. I will say that Disney knows there are issues, and that is why they have contacted me - I've had some very good conversations with executives who have admitted breakdowns in certain areas, and improvements that are needed in other areas. I can assure you it's not 'complaining' - it's being crital and assessing the product that I love in the hopes that when there is a breakdown, that breakdown doesn't happen again, and when there is something good, I want them to know just how much, I as a guest, appreciated their efforts and attention to detail.

I've spent $40,000 on DVC, not to mention dues, and food, tix, etc. for a lifetime of Disney vacations; therefore, I want to see Disney not slash and burn, increase prices, or just give food away. That is going to hurt the product that I love.

As a Disney specialist, you get commission for booking Disney trips, right? So, perhaps your glasses are a bit rose-coloured. None of us here get paid, and in fact, as repeat guests, we've spent a lot of money at Disney - eaten everywhere, and pretty much stayed everywhere too, so we have lots of comparisons to make, as guests, not as a way to earn our livings.

Disney on the whole, gives good value, IMHO, but they are teetering on a tiny slope of they don't realize that making huge profits, while slashing staff, and cheapening food is the way to keep loyal customers.

If they only want new customers, well then, they can function that way, but the Disney of old (thought about this last night), used to be about word of mouth and respecting repeat guests, as they are going to bring in new guests - kill two birds with one stone!

Not sure what to make of your post, as I'm very crabby this morning, so that's all I'm going to say about it!

Tiger

Excellent response!

 

[WDSearcher]

When business has no money to pay its workers it does not build another value resort or does expansion which will not bring any new customers or does a multimillon constraction of vacation houses. JMO.

So ... what you're saying, then, is that you'd be okay with Disney cancelling the Fantasyland expansion, not building a new value resort, and not planning anything else new as long as they give everyone a raise or rehire back the people who were let go?

You can't compare the two things. Apples & oranges. Money comes from different places and has different purposes. The money the Walt Disney Company brings in doesn't go into one big pool to be used by whoever gets there first. There are lots of different plans and budgets that keep all the different parts of the company moving. The theme parks get X amount and need to use that as efficiently as possible.

There are 53,000 CMs working for WDW in Florida. Clearly the company has money to pay its workers. Last year's layoffs -- as traumatic as they were -- tightened up the workforce and brought lots of areas back to where they should be. Disney was overloaded with middle management and it was making things incredibly bogged down. Decisions that should have taken a few hours were taking weeks as they waded through all the levels they had to go through. Those areas are working more efficiently now, and that will save time and money in the long run.

As for expansion, new resorts, etc. ... Disney can't win. In one breath, people are yelling at WDW for not doing anything new; for not building anything to "compete with Harry Potter". In the next breath, Disney is getting slammed for expanding and building new stuff when "they don't have any money". They can't win. And -- all due respect -- just because you may think that a rebuilt Fantasyland won't bring in new customers doesn't mean that it won't. Just because it's not the expansion you want doesn't mean it's useless. It's likely that Disney has a lot more research and knowledge about its customer base and its place in the market than we do.

The DIS is a very small sample of preferences and opinions when put up against the total number of people who visit WDW every year. And my guess is that most of the folks here have never taken any of their comments, suggestions, complaints or observations and put them into a concise page or two to send to Disney. Which means that most of what's written here, stays here and is of no help to WDW at all.

 

[WDSearcher]

First, I totally agree with you (and I do complain about things like this to Disney and other companies). However, I think you'd be surprised at what Disney (and other companies) do for research these days. There are (most certainly) Disney marketing people who frequent this site--and others--to take the pulse of what's happening. They just aren't acting on what they're seeing.

I'm absolutely certain that Disney has research staff reading these (and other) boards. But again ... how do they "act on what they're seeing" when the sample is so small? Most of the complaint threads are the same 10-12 people telling each other how right they are, with maybe another dozen or so popping in for a single post or maybe two. No marketing or research department in the world is going to take the opinions of a couple of dozen people and go to upper management and say, "Hey! Twelve people on the DIS hate the new hot dogs. We must change them!" Particularly when the total WDW guest base is in the millions. Sure the DIS has thousands of members. How many of them are on this thread? Those couple of dozen don't even make a blip.

What the marketing people WILL do, though, is take that information and put it into a larger pool -- let all the Guest Correspondence people know about it, for example, and ask them to flag any incoming correspondence that deals with the new hot dogs (both good and bad). If nothing comes in over a reasonable amount of time, then they'll look at those few comments on the DIS as an anomoly. If, however, two dozen guest letters or e-mails come in complaining about the hot dogs, Guest Communications is going to start contacting those people to ask them why the hot dogs are eliciting this kind of response. At which point Research has a bit more info to work with, and then questions go out to the Mom's Panel or into Disney surveys, and it becomes a bigger thing.

When someone writes a letter and is passionate enough about their comments to sign their name and provide a return address, e-mail or phone number, it gets read. Someone posting "You're right! " on a message board under a nom de plume that can't be traced back to anything just doesn't carry the same weight.

 

[Tiger926]

Excellent response!

Thanks.

Forgot to mention, that I am known as an amateur consumer advocate around here - I`ve contacted thousands of companies, and had extremly good results. They love it when I tell them that I absolutely love their product or service, and they equally are grateful when I give them my concerns.

Disney is a good company, who does care about feedback - I have a great track record with them, so I am proof of that. Good companies know how to weed through the crap, or complaints looking for free stuff. Their job is to gather info, and so they really do like customer feedback, as it helps them.

That being said, Disney believes, because their booking sales are proving it to be so, that the Free Dining promo is a good thing, so emailing them to say that the creation of the Dining Plan has ruined dining forever at Disney, might be a tad dramatic. What I`ve done, is make specific reference to dishes that we`ve eaten, or service issues that we`ve had. This gets a dialogue going about dining in general, but I don`t give them a novel about how many problems I see with the entire operation. That wouldn`t be helpful at all.

I would encourage people to contact Disney though, as they do read through guest feedback, and they track concerns and praise in many different departments within the corporation.

Tiger

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Wdwsearcher, I really appreciate your input. It is so easy to speculate
from the outside.

 

[disneynutz]

According to the Cast Members that we have talked to, most are unhappy because Disney has cut many full timers and replaced them with part timers in order save money because they don't receive benefits.

The CM's work schedules are very irregular and causes a lack of team building. A Front Desk CM who we have come to know at the BWI was scheduled to work at 3 different resorts in 1 week. When I told him that I would see him the next day, he said that he would be at the BC, and Friday at the AKL.

In the past, the CM's became part of the Disney experience. Guests got to know the CM's at the different resorts and food locations and could look forward to seeing them on return visits.

Bill

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

According to the Cast Members that we have talked to, most are unhappy because Disney has cut many full timers and replaced them with part timers in order save money because they don't receive benefits.

The CM's work schedules are very irregular and causes a lack of team building. A Front Desk CM who we have come to know at the BWI was scheduled to work at 3 different resorts in 1 week. When I told him that I would see him the next day, he said that he would be at the BC, and Friday at the AKL.

In the past, the CM's became part of the Disney experience. Guests got to know the CM's at the different resorts and food locations and could look forward to seeing them on return visits.

Bill

if my employees were griping to clients they would no longer be my employees.

 

[WDSearcher]

And this, my friends, is part of the problem. Heard it before they just don't pay their people terribly well. This worked out in the past but, obviously, isn't working out too well now. People need to be able to earn enough to make a living or they just aren't gonna be happy in their jobs. If they're not happy in their jobs, how can they give the best product possible?

I feel for those on the front lines not making what they deserve while they see Disney spending money on all of these other projects...

Just for the record, none of the theme parks or tourist attractions in central Florida pay their people terribly well. At least, not those on the front lines. Those are largely unskilled positions held by largely unskilled workers. How much does someone who has no college degree and is working their first full time job ever "deserve" to make?

And I'm sorry, but the amount of money you get paid should have nothing to do with how well you do your job. You know what your pay rate will be when you take the job. If you agree to the pay, then you are agreeing to do the best job you possibly can for that amount of money. There are people making six figures who aren't happy in their jobs, just as there are people making minimum wage who go to work every day with a smile on their face. More money does not automatically equate to "happier employees".

There are a LOT of people in a lot of different industries who don't earn enough to make a living. It's certainly not a problem exclusive to Disney. If it were, all of those folks who complain about their WDW pay would be going to work for all the thousands of companies who will pay them more. I would think most people at WDW would be happy that the company is "spending money on all of these other projects." When Disney stops building new stuff, the company stagnates. When the company stagnates, business and profits go down. Which means fewer hours, lower stock prices, no new jobs and cuts on benefits. How is THAT a better deal?

 

[disneynutz]

if my employees were griping to clients they would no longer be my employees.

In the past, that never happened, the CM's acted happy and set the mood. Some still do but not like a few years ago, things have changed.

Bill

 

[Ava]

It's still a fun place to go to though. I just wonder how dumbed down the product can become before the general public starts to notice enough to stay away though...

I haven't read the whole thread so pardon if any of this has been brought up before...

I think WDW would have to get REALLY bad before they see a sharp decline in visitors. (And yes, they did have a decline last quarter, but probably most of that is due to the economy & not a reflection on Disney itself.) The majority of people who visit WDW are not frequent visitors like many of the posters on this board. Many people visit only once in their lives, and many others visit only a few times with several years between visits. Not often enough to notice all the subtle changes that are being discussed here.

I'll have 5 years in between visits this time. Even if I eat at the same restaurant I ate at 5 years ago, I'm not expecting the menu to be exactly the same. I might notice if a favorite dish from previous visits is missing, but I wouldn't consider that indicative of declining quality; it's normal for a restaurant to change their menu periodically. If the food is actually bad that's another thing, but changes in the menu don't really bother me.

Also, I've never considered WDW to be fine dining. Maybe it's because I live in NYC & have access to a lot of great restaurants, but I don't think of any restaurant in WDW as gourmet or fine dining or what have you. It's a theme park; it has vastly better & more varied food options than any other theme park, but it's still a theme park. I don't go in expecting to eat the best meal I've ever eaten. I expect decent-to-good food, which I've always gotten, and I also expect the prices to be higher than what I'd pay for the same food elsewhere. I equate it to eating at a restaurant in Times Square; the prices are always higher in Times Square than prices for the same type/quality of food elsewhere. You're paying for the location, & WDW is no different.

 

[TDC Nala]

Sorry but I gave up on the Morocco counter service, unless I'm ordering the veggie platter. Cold meat was served once too often. I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be cold.

WDW isn't serving turkey hotdogs, but they're no longer serving all-beef ones either. They have switched to a chicken/beef blend.